Official Pest Reports are provided by National Plant Protection Organizations within the NAPPO region. These Pest Reports are intended to
comply with the International Plant Protection Convention's Standard on Pest Reporting, endorsed
by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002.

Anastrepha ludens (Mexican Fruit Fly): APHIS Removes the Quarantine Area in San Perlita, Willacy County, Texas

Date posted: 09/20/2018

Contact: John Stewart, National Fruit Fly Policy Manager, at 919-855-7426

Effective July 27, 2018, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) removed the Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine area in the San Perlita area of Willacy County, Texas.

On March 14, 2018, APHIS and TDA established a Mexfly quarantine in a regulated area of San Perlita, Texas, restricting interstate movement of regulated articles from this area to prevent the spread of Mexfly to non-infested areas of the United States. This action was necessary after one mated female adult Mexfly was confirmed on March 14, 2018. Since that time, APHIS has worked cooperatively with the TDA to eradicate the transient Mexfly population through various control actions per program protocols. APHIS removed the quarantine area after three Mexfly life-cycles elapsed with negative detections in this area. This removal of the quarantine is reflected on the following designated website, which contains a description of all the current Federal fruit fly quarantine areas: